Atlantic Division at the trade deadline: Four buyers, four sellers

Sabres winger Evander Kane is one of the top players believed to be available at the trade deadline this season -- with a price tag to match. Will he land elsewhere in the Atlantic Division? Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

The National Hockey League trade deadline arrives on Feb. 26. So far, we've taken a look at the Metro and Central divisions, and you might have noticed a trend: many, many buyers, not many sellers.

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Buyers

Assets in play: The Bruins have all of their picks for the next three drafts, save for a fifth-rounder this season. They also have a robust collection of young players they could toss into a deal, from forwards Jake DeBrusk, Anders Bjork and Austin Czarnik to defenseman Brandon Carlo. In a perfect world, they also find a way to make buried minor leaguer Matt Beleskey (29, unrestricted free agent in 2020, $3.8M cap hit) disappear in a deal.

The other interesting name in the Bruins' orbit is Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh (28, 2019, $4.7M, limited no-trade clause), who would bolster the left side for Boston and arrives with another year on his deal. Outside of the whole "New York making a trade with Boston" thing, this feels like a good fit.

Assets in play: The Panthers have picks in every round for the next three years, including the Arizona Coyotes' second-round pick this season. They have winger Radim Vrbata (36, UFA, $2.5M) and defenseman Alex Petrovic (25, RFA, $1.85M) on expiring contracts.

What might they add? Elliotte Friedman recently reported that they would be a "stealth candidate" for Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty. That would be a smart move: Florida is a good market for him, and he'd be a very solid addition to their top six.

But mostly, expect the Panthers to stand pat instead of dabble at the deadline. Another way to read Tallon's comments: This team has seven players signed through 2022, which limits the mobility of those contracts. So there's your core.

Assets in play: The Lightning have all of their draft picks over the next three seasons. They have some intriguing prospects and could throw defenseman Slater Koekkoek (23, RFA, $800K) into a deal.

Deadline game plan: Adding a defenseman is the priority. Mike Green is the most obvious choice and fit, given the Lightning's needs and the way he possesses the puck. Or perhaps the Lightning turn to Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson (31, UFA, $4,357,143), who has asked for a trade.

Assets in play: The Leafs have all of their picks in 2019 and 2020. This year, they have their own pick in every round but the third and sixth, but they have picks from the San Jose Sharks in the second and third rounds. They also have wingers Josh Leivo, Nikita Soshnikov and fourth-line veteran Matt Martin in play.

Among defensemen available, Mike Green makes the most sense. He's a possession player and a right-handed shot, two things coach Mike Babcock covets, and he adds another experienced presence on a team that already has a few of them. There's a lot to love with this possible deal, including the assets the Leafs could offer the Wings. And GM Lou Lamoriello loves building from the crease out.

Sellers

Editor's Picks

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The Central is stacked with playoff teams that will be shopping for goal-scoring wingers. Could St. Louis native Patrick Maroon land with the Blues, or will the Predators -- who are going all-in on winning a Stanley Cup this season -- pounce first?

Would they actually deal? Center Ryan O'Reilly (27, 2023, $7.5M)? There are three reasons he might move. The first is value, of which he has plenty, and the Sabres have many holes in their lineup to address. The second is that contract, which GM Jason Botterill didn't give him and which doesn't have trade protection. The third is Casey Mittelstadt, who tracks to be the Sabres' second-line center in short order.

Deadline game plan: Another lost season for the Sabres, who are like a Russian nesting doll of rebuilds at this point: Botterill's inside of former GM Tim Murray's. Obviously the plans start with Kane, and the high price that's been placed on him for months. He's one of the best pure goal scorers available, but that might not translate to a first-round pick, an NHL player, a prospect and a conditional draft pick.

Lehner also wasn't a Botterill guy, so that gives the GM pause about his future -- as does the fact that teams like the Flyers and Islanders could use his services. As for Sam Reinhart, there are those who feel it's time the Sabres cut bait with the second overall choice in 2014, but he's still only 22.

Best-case scenario: The Sabres get full asking price on Kane and win the draft lottery.

Would they actually deal? Andreas Athanasiou (23, RFA, $1,387,500)? The speedy winger is putting up the best per-game numbers in his career and is coming off a bitter contract impasse with GM Ken Holland.

Deadline game plan: Trading Green. There's going to be a robust market for the puck-moving veteran defenseman, with the Lightning and the Maple Leafs among the suitors -- two teams that could end up facing each other in Round 1 of the playoffs. If the Wings can't pull at least what the Blues got for Kevin Shattenkirk last season, it'll be a whiff.

Keep in mind that wherever Mrazek ends up for the rest of the season, that team can walk away from him in the summer during arbitration.

Tatar is, for my money, a better player than Nyquist, and he has no trade protection. But he also has the higher average annual value on his contract and the longer commitment. Not for nothing, but Dallas GM Jim Nill and Tampa Bay GM Steve Yzerman were with Detroit when these two were drafted.

Best-case scenario: The Wings find there's a bidding war for Green and get above-market value for him.

Would they actually deal? Forward Andrew Shaw? He's one of the payers who generates the most interest among other general managers -- scoring, playoff experience, however you define "grit" -- but the Canadiens reportedly don't want to move him, given that he's signed at $3.9 million through 2022.

Deadline game plan: For a team in the midst of a disastrous season that has the hockey world wondering how its general manager is going to survive, there's every chance that the Canadiens have a quiet deadline. Plekanec wants to remain with the Habs, and they're talking new contract with him. The discussion about Pacioretty being moved seems to be generated from outside the organization because he's had a considerable falloff on his goal-scoring numbers. Galchenyuk will be rumored to be moved until the day he actually is.

Best-case scenario: The Canadiens trade Plekanec to a Stanley Cup contender for a healthy return and then re-sign him after the season.

Would they actually deal? Star defenseman Erik Karlsson (27, UA 2019, $6.5M)? Well no, probably not at the trade deadline. But that's not to say they won't trade him after getting a serious sense of his future with the franchise after July 1. Then again, who knows? There's not a whole lot you'd call "predictable" or "stable" with the Senators these days.

So the business-influenced player purge should continue. The Senators feel Brassard is the best center available on the market at the deadline, and they expect to be compensated for that. Hoffman's recent chemistry with star Matt Duchene would seem to argue for Ottawa keeping him but perhaps not when they owe him more than $10 million over the next two seasons. (I still think it'll take a whale of a package to land him, if he's available.)

The game plan is simple: Save money and maximize the return.

Best-case scenario: The Senators are able to flip players with term into great young prospects.